We all know he isn’t.
“I’m not. Henry’s dad was on duty that night.” Henry is in our grade. He’s lanky and has braces and has many friends because he’s smart. Unlike me, people like talking to him.
“Heath…” Sebastian warns him but Heath’s eyes are locked on Jason. “Let’s go.”
Heath pulls Jason to him once more. “You listen to me, asshole. If you don’t shut your fucking mouth I will break your teeth.”
Jason scoffs. “I’m not afraid of you.”
Heath narrows his eyes. “You should be.”
“What do you think of yourself?”
“I’m someone who’ll make your life a fucking hell if you bother my girlfriend again.”
Jason throws the first punch making Heath stumble.
On instinct, I move towards him but Marie grabs my arm and pulls me back.
“No, stay back,” she says to me.
“You’ve always pissed me off.” Jason is onto Heath and throwing punches after punches. He dodges a few but those that land make my stomach empty.
A rope ties around my muscles and a knot forms, locking in place and choking the breath out of me.
Sebastian attempts to help Heath but the other guys jump in and he gets busy fighting them off.
“We need to help them!” I tell Marie frantically.
She shakes her head. “I know how you feel but we can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it’ll piss them off if we get hurt.”
“But—”
“Yes, they’re getting hurt but it’s not comparable to when we’ll get hurt.”
Feeling like I have been tied behind my back, I helplessly watch them fight.
Heath manages to pummel Jason to the ground and break his nose. Then, he hurries to Sebastian who seems to be struggling a little.
“What the hell is going on here?” I hear one of our teachers walk into the parking lot. “Stop right now!”
The guys listen to him.
“All of you, in the office now,” he demands, staring at them.
His gaze narrows on us and he adds, “You two get home.”
“Yes, sir.” Marie speaks for the both of us.
“Start walking!” he barks, and the entire group falls into motion at once.
Heath turns back and gives me a reassuring nod but it does nothing to make me feel better.
Trouble follows me.
